Car construction



June 21, 1932.

J- F. Qco'NNoR CAR CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 9' 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 fnllalll .Il l

June 21, 1932. J, F, @CONNOR y 1,863,762

' CAR CONSTRUQTION Filed Aug. 9, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 2l, 1932 .UNITED STATI-:s

PATENT JOHN F. CONNOR, OIF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO W. H. IYIINEE, ING., OF CHICAGO,

ILLINOIS, A. CORPORATION' 0F DEIfAll'AIRJEY GAR CONSTRUCTION Application'fuea August 9, 1929. serial N5. 384,777.

This invention .relates car construction.

One object ofthe invention is to provide a car construction including draft sills adapted to receive louflngwind draft shocks, wherein the car body is longitudinally movable with to improvements in respect to the draft sills tov alimited extent` able to a limited extent, wherein cushioning means reacts between the draft-sillsand the car body to yieldingly oppose relative movement thereof t0 take care of buing and draft shocks and the draft sills areV themselves yield* ingly extensible lengthwise `ofthe car tov cushion draft shocks. A further object ofthe invention is to provide a carconstruction wherein the bodyv of the car and the draft sillshave limited relaf tive movement lengthwise with respect to each other, yieldingly opposed by shock absorbing` means to take care ofbuffing Vand draft shocks, and in addition the sills themselves are yieldingly compressible lengthwise of the car to take care of bulling shocks.

Still anotherobject of the invention'is to provide a. railway car construction including draft sill members disposed lengthwise of the car, each draft sill member having coupler means connected to the outer end thereof and the sill members being yieldingly connected at their inner ends to permit a limited amount ofrelative movement therebetween, and the car body aud the connected draft sill memf bers have limited relative movement 'with respectto each other which is sisted. y y I l A further object of the invention is toprovide a carconstruction including a continuous draft sill structure extendingv from one end of the car to the other and with respect to which the car body is movable lengthwise to aI vlimited extent, whereinthe draft sillv structure comprises separate sill members conthe' yieldingly ren nected at their inner ends to'form theicon- Y tinuous draft. sillA structure,.wherein the connection is yieldable to permit relativelongitudinal movement of said sill memberswith respect to each other to a limited extent and wherein shock absorbing means is interposed between the continuous draft sill structure and the car body to yieldingly resist rela.- tive longitudinal movement of the same in both buff and draft.

A morespecific object of the invention is to provide a railway car construction including coupler means at opposite endsv of-'the car, draftV sill members connected toeach coupler and extending inwardly of. the car,

the draft sill members connected t0 one of the couplers being connected to the draft sill members of the'other coupler by a shock absorbing mechanism permitting yielding lim-V ited relative movement of the sills with respect to each other lengthwise of the car,.the shock absorbing means comprising a plurality of transversely disposed, laminated plate spring members mounted in a fioating carri'er andl engaging vabutment means on' the respective sills, 'the sill members together with the shock absorbing means forming a continuous draftvsill structure fromend to end of the car which'is vrelatively movable with respect to the carrbody and to which the same is connected by shock absorbing means permitting a predetermined amount of yieldingly resisted relative movement therebetween l therewith, Figure lshowing the structure at one end of the car, Figure 2 showing the structure atthe central portion of the car,-V saidvfigure being a continuation of Figure 1, and Figure 3 showing the other'end. ofthe car structure and being a continuation Aof Figure 2. Figuret isa topv plan Yview of the structure at-the center of thel car, the parts being shown on an enlarged Vscale. Figure V Y is a vertical, longitudinal sectional viewcorresponding substantially to theY line 51-5 of Figure 4. And Figure 6 is a transverse, vertical sectional view corresponding substantially to the line 6 6 of Figure 5.

Referring to the drawings, .10e-10 indicate the body bolsters at Lthe oppositeends of the car in connection with which myimproved movable draft-sill structure is slidingly supported. CouplerV means of well known form indicated by 11-11 is employed -at each end of theoar, the couplers being only partly shown, thehead portions thereof being broken away. f' V My improved car construction comprises broadly twopairsof longitudinally disposed y spaced sill members 12-12, aifloating car- -2-rier13, two sets of laminated plate .springs 14TH, coupler keys v15-,f15 for-.connecting the couplers to the sills; shock absorbing j predetermined t Ythree inches. The sill members areslidmgly of Ythe two pairs being disposed in alinement means 16-16 cooperating with'the couplers and spring shock absorbing means1'17-17 -opposingrelative movementl of the sillsV and the holsters. y y

The sill Vmembers'are arranged inpairs at opposite endsof the c ar, the same beingpref-v erably of the usual channel shape section and spaced the standard distance apartyfrEach pair of sills12 extendsinwardly from the corresponding Vend of the car toa point approximately at'the centerof the car, thesills Y and having their inner ends VVspaced Yapart a distance, Vpreferably about y curedto the websof the sills in anysuitable manner, the sameV being herein vshown as `riveted. The casting 18 isiprovided'with spaced forwardly extending side arms-19f-191whichj have coupler key-receiving openings 20-'-20 in substantial'alinement withKA the openings of the sills. As" shown,the key-receiving open-f ings of the casting-`andthe`sills are of such alength as to permita certain lamount of toY relative movement between'the coupler and Y the corresponding pair of sills; "'`At'the rear end, lthe casting 18 is provided with a pocket 21vin vwhichis disposed-a shock absorbingspring 22, the spring cooperating with-the Crrresvpndng Couple-.T 1.1'. a follower 23 beinginterposed between-the inner end of the coupler fshank and the springl -Y As :shown each'casting-18 is provided withr'front limiting stop shoulders 2li-24 which cooperate with the follower 23 tolimit outward movement thereof with respect to the corresponding pair of sills 12. f As most clearly shown in Figures 1 Vand 3, springv follower discs or kcaps areassociated with the opposite ends of each spring 22, the caps beingl connected by aretainer bolt whichv limits the expansionof the spring. actionYV of the spring 22holds the follower and the associated coupler in outermost position with the coupler key in engagement with the' Vfront end walls of the slots of the sills of the casting 18. Aswillbe evident, when a draft i or pulling 'action is applied to the coupler, the

corresponding pair of .sills'12 will be pulled outwardlytherewith. Upon a bufin'g action being appliedto this coupler, the sills will As willbe evident, the expansive ble-'forced yieldi'ngly inwardly'due 'to the compression of-the spring 2,2 .until the coupler key engagesthe'inner end walls ofthekey slots of the sills and the casting 18 whereupon the pair ofsills will be forced to move inwardly in unison with the coupler.

*The two pairs of sills associa Y couplers 11 at opposite endsofthe car are connected at their .innerends to-provide a substantially continuoussill structure extending from one end ofthe car to the other, which sillstructuie is movable with respect `to the car body in a lengthwise direction.r The connecting meansfor thetwo pairs of sills comf 'prises the iioating. carrier 13 andthe laminated-.plate springs 1li-,14. The-carrier 13 is in the form of a casting having frontend rear transversely extending openings or pook-` ted with lthe ets 25-25in whichkthe two sets of laminated plate springs' 14a-14; are disposed. As most clearly illustrated! in Figures 2 and the opposed front and` rear walls of each *open-f ing or pocket arci-curved transversely and are preferably convex. Thecasting lhas topand bottom plates26-26 detachably secured thereto,-the'plates voverlapping the top andfbottom flanges ofthe two pairs of .dra sills 12 as-clearlyshown in Figures .4 and V6. Aswilll be-ev'i'dentg' the floating carrier or casting 18 iis; thus guided by the sills for longitudinal movement with respect thereto and holds the inner ends of the two pairs Vof sills in alinement. '-Theplates26 are spaced respectively from the top and bottom sides yof the carrier' as clearly shown in Figures 5 and 6.` the 1 carrier walls' being lprovided with-1a plurality-of bosses V27-27 which the plates 2,6 abut.`lvTheV plates may be secured to the carrierlinany suitable manner and are herein shownl asi-secured theretoby a plurality of bolts l284-28v which 'extend entirelyl through they carrier' and alined openings in the bosses 27. The castingfor carrier 13 ijsof such a width thatv *theV opposite side faces thereof are spaced an'appreciable distance from the A `inner sides off the webs of the pairs of sills to accommodate stop members 29-29 vwhich are secured to the respective pairs ofsills. As mostly clearly illustrated in Figures 2, 4 and 5, each pair of sills 12 is provided. with two such stop members at the inner end thereof. Each stop member is in the form of Va relatively heavy casting, suitably reinforced by ribs, and having spaced abutment shoulders or lugs 30-30 on the inner side thereof. As shown, the inner faces of the lugs 30-30 of each casting preferably diverge laterally inwardly and are spaced apart such a distance as to embrace the corresponding outer end of the set of laminated plate spring members at the corresponding end of the carrier 13. The laminated plate spring members 14 are each composed of a plurality of rectangular plate springs which are preferably substantially straight and of such a length that the opposite ends of each set will engage within the pockets provided between the stop lugs 30-30 on the corresponding pairs of sills 12-12. `The lugs 30 are of such a depth that there is no danger ofthe ends of the springs becoming disengaged therefrom when the plate springs are flexed to their limit, that is when flexing thereof is limited by full contact with one of the curved bearing surfaces of the corresponding Vpocket of the carrier 13. The parts are so proportioned that the inner ends of the two pairs of sills are held normally spaced apartl by the connecting laminated plate springs' and carrier, the, distance shown in the drawings.

Each casting 29 is provided with a forwardly extending bracing portion 31 -to rev inforce the sill structure; A spacing thimble 32 is preferably interposed between the sections 31-31 of the two opposed castings of each pair of sills and the sills are connected by a bolt 33 extending throughthe thimble, the sections 31 of the castings 29 and the webs of the sills. As will be evident, the inner ends of each pair of sills are thus maintained Va lixed distance apart and thoroughly braced.

The spring-shock absorbing means 17 at each end of the car, which opposes relative movement of the corresponding-pair ofrsills of the bolster 10 at that end of the car preferably comprises elongated coil spring mem-y bers co-operating with front and rear follower plates 33-33 whichin turn cooperate with inner and outer stop lugs 34-34 fixed to the inner sides of the sills 12. The inner follower 33 is anchored to the corresponding bolster 10 by elongated rodsor bars 35-35 which extend through-the coils of the two springs and openings provided in the two extending through the outer ends of these bars. VIn order to further brace the pairs of .draftsillsyand hold thesame spaced the proper distance apart, additional spacing plates38 and 39 may be employed between ythe bolsters and the inner ends of the sills.

33-33, Ythe outer follower 33 being held sta` tionary by engagement with the filler casting of the corresponding bolster and the inner follower 33 being pulled forwardly by the lugs 34-cooperating therewith. vDuring the described action7 a pull will alsov be exerted on the laminated plate spring members 14 .cooperating with the pair of sills referred to. Inasmuch as the other set of laminated plate springs engages the lugs. on the other pair of-sills, and the two sets oflaminated plate springs are 'mounted in the. carrier 13, there will be a tendency for the last vnamed'pair of sills to move together with the sills at the other end ofthe car. Inasmuch as `movement of Vboth pairs of sills is resisted `by the springs 17, the-pair of sills at the righthand end yof the car as viewed in Figures l, 2 and 3 will be retarded Vin ytheir movement and the springs 14-14 will'be flexed. In resistingv` ioo between the followers 33at the same end Y of` theV car, theouter follower 33 being pulled by the cooperating lugs 34 and the inner follower 33 being heldstationary by the rods or bars 35 to which vthis follower is anchored. As will be evident, there is thus a yield of the continuous draft sill structure comprising the two pairs of sills and a connecting means including the carrier 33 and the'laminated plate springs 14, the entire continuous draft sill'structure being thus elongated. :The separationVv of the two pairs of sills lengthwise of thecar willbe limited when the laminated plate springs 14 are flexed to such an extent that they contact with the convex bearingk surfaces of the carrier 33 throughout the width of thesame. When the actuatingforce is reduced, they tendency/of the laminated plate springs to assume their normal straight position will yrestore the sills to the relative position shown in Figures 1. 2 and 3 and the action ofthe springs`17 will restore the two pairs ofsills to the centered position with respect to the car body. 4Upon an inward or bufing movement being applied to eithery of the couplers 11, and referring particularly to thecoupler 11 at the lefthand endof the as shown in Figure 1, the spring 16 will be lirst compressed, inasmuch as thelsame is much lighter than ,the other springs of the shockk absorbingV means associated with the Y tion, the outer follower 33 will be forced inwardly by the lugs 34 cooperating therewith, l

compressing the springs 1T which bear 'at Atheir inner ends on the inner follower. 33,

which is held stationarywith respect to the car. body by the bars 85. f During the def scribed movement of the sills 12, the pair of' sills 12 at the righthand end of the car will be forced iii the same direction-also, duelto the connectingmeansbetween the sills coinprising ther two sets of laminated plate springs 14, and the carrier 18.1As hereinbei fore pointed out, the plates 14 willbe flexedV during the time that motion is `transmitted from' one pair of sills to theother. Movement of the sills 12 at the right hand end of the car will be resisted byl theco'rresponding springsl?. Relative' approach of V the two. pairs of sills lengthwise of the car, during the described action, willbe limitedby engagement of theinnerends of two pairs of sillswitli each other.V The parts are preferably so proportioned that when Athe sills-thus V engage each other flexing of theV springs 14 ffm will also be `limited by full engagement with the convex bearing surfacesi of the carrier It will, be appreciated that during operation of the car in service, the entirecar body is capable of lengthwise movement withirespcct to the continuousdraft sill structure substantially independently of relative longitudinal movement of the two pairs of sills with respect to each other, thismovement of the car body with respect to the combined sillstructure being yieldingly resisted by the springsgl'. `It is furtherpointed out-that springs 14 which connect thetwo pairsf'of sills may beY fully actuated to the limit of its movement before'the springs 17 have been Y compressed to any` great extent, whereupon the connected pairs of sills 12 will movein substantial unison, thusrforming' in effect a continuous vdraft sill structurefrom end to end of the car, which issubstantially rigid.

The yielding connection' between thesills, in addition to affording simple' and eicient shockf absorbing means, also prevents. distor- V tion of thelsills due to heavy shocks being applied vthereto inasmuch as the continuous draft; sill structure is compressible lengthf wise to the extent of flexing movement of the springs 14, The yielding draft sill construction further facilitates vrstarting of thetrain of cars in vrthat'it permits the movement of .the pair Ofsillsat one endof the car with respect to the vpair atthe opposite end of thev car-whereby thel cars ofthe train are setin motion successively.

VI haveA herein shown and described what I now consider the "preferred manner of. car'- rying out my invention, but the same islmerely illustrativeandI contemplate all changes and modifications that come withinthe scope ofthe claims appended hereto.

I claim.: i 1. In vcar construction, ythe' combination with body bolsters at opposite ends ofthe car; of coupler means ateach end of the car;

a pair of spaced draft sills connected to each coupler and extending inwardlyv of the car, -said` sills being movable withv lrespect to the holsters; means for yieldingly connecting said sills of each pair to one of said bolstersgand means connecting the pair of sills -associated with one coupler means to the pair of sillsas- 'sociated with the lother couplen'mean's, 1n'- cludinga floating carrier embraced between M the inner endsof` saidpairs of sills, saidcarf rvrierhaving transverse abutment faces, transversely disposedlaminated plate springs interposed between each set of abutment faces, and means connecting'one of said last named springs to one pa'irof sills and connecting l the other laminated plate 'spring to the other Vpair oflsills, comprising stop shoulders Yonv eachvrpair of sillsiembracing theV oppositeends Y of the Corresponding plate spring.

2. Inv 'car construction, the combination with ar'pair of movable draft sills at each Vend of the car,` the members of each pair of sills being spaced apart laterally and-having pairs of spaced stop' shoulders at their'inner ends,

thefsills of said pairsextending inwardly fromrthe'opposite ends of the ear, said pairs having their inner ends normally vspaced apart, and said inner ends being engageable with each other to limit the approachsof the r`Il() sills in buff; 'shock absorbing-means opposing movement of each pair ofsills Iwith ret spect to the vcar inboth buifand'draftifand the shock absorbing means comprising the yielding connectingmeans for lsaid pairs -of sills, yieldingly opposing relative movement of one pair with respect to the otherin both buff 'and draft, said connecting means* in'- Vcluding a casting having a pair of spring pocketsat opposite ends and spring means within Veach-'pocket having" shouldered en gagement 'with the pairs of stopshoulders of the corresponding pair -of sills,the lcompres'- Vsion ofsaid connectingmeans being limited yin buff by the engagement of Atheinner ends 

